Better Man
by Satine1976
Summary: A songfic outlining the Moulin Rouge love triangle between Satine, Christian and The Duke. Please R&R this fic as it is my first attempt at writing a fic based on a movie which I have seen several times and loved. More chapters will be written based on t
1. Christian

DISCLAMIER: I have just seen Moulin Rouge for the second time

**DISCLAMIER:**I have just seen Moulin Rouge for the third and fourth times.As my younger brother and I were driving home from the cinema, the song "Better Man" by Pearl Jam started playing on the radio.

As I sat listening to it, I thought it was a wonderful source of inspiration for me to write a story about the love triangle between Satine, Christian and The Duke. 

The story occurs after the events of the movie (SPOILERS for anyone who is yet to see it) Each part of the story will be written from a different character's viewpoint.

The genius that is Baz Lurhmann owns the characters while Eddie Vedder et al. owns the song. It's just an idea I had I swear!! Please read it, enjoy and review.

As this is my first attempt at writing a piece of fanfic based on a movie, any feedback would be gratefully accepted. More chapters will be posted based on the feedback I receive and the amount of time I get to write it!!

Better Man by Satine_1976 

** **
    
     
    
    _Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop_
    
    _Tell him; take no more, she practices her speech_
    
    _As he opens the door, she rolls over..._
    
    _Pretends to sleep, as he looks her over_
    
    _She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man..._
    
    _She dreams in colour, she dreams in red, can't find a better man..._
    
    _Can't find a better man_
    
    _Ohh..._
    
    _ _
    
    _Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know..._
    
    _She tells herself, oh..._
    
    _Memories back when she was bold and strong_
    
    _And waiting for the world to come along..._
    
    _Swears she knew it, now she swears he's gone_
    
    _She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man..._
    
    _She dreams in colour, she dreams in red, can't find a better man..._
    
    _She lies and says she still loves him, can't find a better man..._
    
    _She dreams in colour, she dreams in red, can't find a better man..._
    
    _Can't find a better man_
    
    _Yeah..._
    
    _ _
    
    _She loved him, yeah...she don't want to leave this way_
    
    _She feeds him, yeah...that's why she'll be back again_
    
    _Can't find a better man_
    
    _Can't find a better...man..._
    
    _Ohh...ohh..._
    
    _Uh huh... _
    
    _Ohh..._

_ _

PART 1: CHRISTIAN 

** **

It had all happened far too quickly--far too soon. My beloved Satine was lying in my arms—dead. My heart, like my world was shattered.

_"Satine! Nooo!"_ My sobs echoed through the darkened halls of the Moulin Rouge.

Harold Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge placed a comforting hand on My shoulder. I wrenched it away, turning to face the man that had tried to keep us apart, the fury and utter hatred in my eyes for all to see.

_" You did this to her! You killed her!"_ I spat; the venom in my voice was unmistakable.

I gazed down at the figure lying in my arms. I lovingly brushed a curl of her hair from her face. I then pulled a tattered handkerchief from my pocket and wiped the thin lines of blood from the corners of her mouth.

Chocolat bent down and tried to take Satine's body from my arms. But, Iwasn't ready to let her go and I tightened my arms around her protectively. 

_"Christian! It is time to let her go!" _Zidler's voice cut through the haze that I found myself surrounded by.

I shook his head, trying to comprehend what had just occurred. Satine, my beloved Diamond was dead. I looked down at her, my eyes filling with tears.

_"How can you be dead my love? We were going to spend forever together. I was going to take you far away from this wicked place. __I will love you until my dying day."_ I sobbed placing soft kisses on her face.

I finally let Chocolat take Satine's body from my arms. I slowly stood up, shaking violently. I looked around at the faces of the audience and the dancers, the misery etched on my face. Toulouse led me back to my flat.

_"You must write your story Christian. That way Satine will always be with you." _

Toulouse pleaded with his young friend.

_"Leave me be Toulouse! LEAVE ME BE!!"_ I screamed wanting to shut out the thought of what had just occurred.

I lowered my head to my knees, my body racked with sobs. Toulouse wanted to help me but was unsure how to do it. He stood there, watching me for a few minutes. When he saw that he could not do anything for me, he left.

A few hours later, when my tears were all spent, I raised my head and gazed around my flat. I stood up and started pulling the pages of _"Spectacular Spectacular"_ off the wall. I shredded the pages into thousands of tiny pieces.

_"Satine is dead. She can't be dead"_ I sobbed as I pulled the pages from the wall.

Toulouse heard the noise coming from downstairs. He gazed down the hole in his floor and shook his head sadly at what he saw 

I walked to the window stiffly and gazed at the street below. I saw the red windmill of the Moulin Rouge and felt the rage stir within me

_"Thank you very much for curing my ridiculous obsession with love Harold Zidler! Thank you so very much!"_ I screamed, shaking my fist in the direction of the windmill.

I went and lay down on the bed, trying to block out the stabbing pain I felt in my heart. I thought my heart would break into a thousand pieces. Try as I might, I could not escape the image of Satine lying dead my arms.

I sobbed myself to sleep. In the realm of sleep, a ghostly figure appeared to him. She gazed down lovingly at the young man who loved her so deeply and touched his face softly. I gazed up and saw Satine's beautiful face.

_"Satine? You're dead! How can I being seeing you?"_ I sat bolt upright and gazed around. I wasn't quite sure if I was still sound asleep or wide awake.

She smiled at me. That smile that would always melt my heart. I reached for her, but my hand went straight through her body. That's when I knew she was dead.

I woke up in a cold sweat. Then I heard the soft, sweet sound of a voice I knew so well, singing a song from the heart…..

_"Come what may. I will love you until my dying day."_


	2. Satine

DISCLAIMER: Please see part 1

**DISCLAIMER:** Baz and Craig own them all….I'm just a poor, penniless writer using them for inspiration!

PART 2: SATINE 

** **

_"Come what may. I will love you, until my dying day."_

The memories of our secret song filled me with an overwhelming sense of sadness. Sadness that I caused my darling Christian so much pain, hurt and sadness. Sadness at the thought of a life cut short by circumstance and sadness at a love that could not overcome the forces of darkness.

I wish I could reach up and wipe his tears away---- tears that were shed because of what I'd done. Those sparkling grey eyes that I loved so much were now dull and lifeless because of the tears he was shedding over me.

_"Satine? You're dead! How can I be seeing you?"_ My heart broke at the sound of the anguish in his voice.

_"My darling Christian. I am in your heart and I will always be in your heart. That is why you can see me."_ I told him.

I wanted nothing more than to hold him and tell him I loved him with every fibre of my being— I wanted to tell him that I would leave the Moulin Rouge and spend the rest of my life with him. I wanted to tell him that I wanted to have his children and grow old with him.

But how do you tell that to someone you've hurt more than anything in the world---- who loves you more every day even though you have broken his heart so many times and he has forgiven you each and every time?

"I am the Hindu Courtesan and I choose the Maharajah"

I will never forget the look of utter devastation on Christian's face as I uttered those words. It broke my heart into thousands of tiny pieces when I saw it. I knew I had to do it to save the Moulin Rouge and those whom I called family. But more than that, I had to do it for Christian, the one I grew to love more than anything in this world…..

The man who was sobbing uncontrollably because I was dead. I did the only thing I knew how to do---the only thing I was sure of. I sang to him, just as I did on the night we first met. I sang to him with all the love in my heart.

_"Come what may. I will love you until my dying day."_

_ _

_"I will love you even beyond my dying day my love. I will love you forever." _I whispered, my eyes filling with tears as I brushed his lips with a soft, sweet kiss.

I turned and gazed and Christian, one last time. I secretly hope that he learns to love again, to let his heart feel the love that we shared.

_"Never thought I could feel like this…."_


End file.
